What's Left Of Me
by Shadow Angel5
Summary: After Madara betrays Sasuke he teams up with Naruto Temporarily. They both finish him off and then Sasuke turns to Naruto and begins to fight him. After both deliver death blows,left dying flashes of life pass before their eyes. Sakura/Sasuke. songfic.


***Author's note**: So this is going to be Sasuke/Sakura. If you don't like that pairing, why are you even here? On another note, some are probably going to yell at me for Sasuke being a bit OC, well do any of us really know what's going on in that pretty little head of his? And if you still don't like it? Sorry there's just no pleasing everyone . This is a song fic/one shot for now. The song parts will be in parenthesis, italics and bold font.

_**Summary:**_ After Madara betrays Sasuke, he teams up with Naruto Temporarily. They both finish him off and then Sasuke turns to Naruto and begins to fight him. After both deliver death blows, they're knocked unconscious left dying and flashes of life pass before in their mind. Now flash forward to days later…

**What's Left of Me**

By: ShadowAngel5

"He's waking up."

"Do you think we should call somebody?"

"I think they should have left him there to rot, he did after all betray our village. Not to mention what he did to Naruto." Female voices argued causing sharp pains to run through his already throbbing head. Where exactly was he? More to the point was he dead?

No, he felt too much pain to be dead, unless this was hell. Now that would make more sense. What happened? Oh that's right he and that yellow haired brat had fought. He had delivered the deathblow to his chest right as Naruto had clawed into his. If he wasn't dead then was Naruto? They both should have died just as Naruto had predicted those years ago.

"We should get Sakura. She's the one who saved his sorry ass."

"Don't be so crude, Tenai. I'll go get Sakura anyway." Scattering footsteps let him know someone had left the room. He decided against opening his eyes to the unfamiliar voices. From the sound of contempt in the one girls voice it was better he didn't.

"Tenai, you can leave now." A very familiar voice wafted through the room.

_Sakura_. He waited again choosing to keep his eyes shut, until he felt her feather light touch. Warms sensations passed through her fingers absorbing into his skin, healing him. Hn, if only it was that easy. He knew how broken he was. Far from the child he had been.

Revenge had consumed his life and then he found out how meaningless it really was. How alone it made him. He thought back to the first time he had meet team 7. Kakashi had told them to introduce themselves and to name a future goal. Well he had gotten the first part alright. That thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Sasuke? I know you're conscious." Her sweet voice broke his thoughts. The one thing he was happy he never actually had been able to do, kill her.

"Well if you want to be stubborn then, so be it. Naruto is already awake and complaining." The tenderness in her voice for him cut him. She was supposed to be in love with him, not that idiot. Hn where had that thought come from?

Who was he even kidding anymore? He loved her. Deep down he knew he didn't deserve her and wouldn't blame her if she absolutely hated him now. After all he put her and Naruto through hell. Had she forgotten him just as everyone else?

"Naruto is glad he didn't kill you, ya know. He's always trying so hard, but I know he really didn't want it to end that way. You're healing very nicely so you probably won't need another session from me. Don't worry I won't bother you again. I know how annoying that must get." She turned and left.

Why didn't he say anything? Tell her to stop, that he didn't really believe that she was annoying? His fractured heart screamed out for her. Well what fragments he had left of it in his body. She was right about one thing: he was too damn stubborn for his own good.

**Days Later….**

He was tired of being in this prison he once called home. It gave him too much time to think. Too much thinking of how he screwed himself up. Glancing down at the seals on his arms, he sighed. What was the point of even being alive if he couldn't even go outside of this place? Not that he wasn't allowed, he just didn't see the point since all the villagers scorned him. _Ha, now I guess I have a small feeling for what Naruto must have gone through as a small child_.

Come to think of it, he should be getting the title of Hokage right about now. He had gotten his childhood dream. Looking up at the ceiling he found his thoughts drifting back to her…that's where they always ended up nowadays. She had crawled underneath his skin so long ago and was there now always.

_**(Watch my life,  
Pass me by,  
In the rear view mirror  
Pictures frozen in time  
Are becoming clearer  
I don't wanna waste another day  
Stuck in the shadow of my mistakes)**_

_**Yeah...**_

Wanting her was becoming annoying. She clearly didn't need him. What had he become? Just a hollow shell of his former self. No, he had been that way from the beginning. Or at least from the time his family was murdered. Again he looked over the plain walls, back up to the equally plain white ceiling. His eyes closed. Within moments her face filled his sight.

Her soft pink hair, her wide but oddly cute forehead…and those eyes. Green orbs that were so deep you could drown in them. Emerald's that filled with so much pain because of him. How could he have forsaken the only love he had since his mother? With sheer stupidity that's how.

He brought his fist to the wall, causing it to crack. Funny how his emotions could numb the pain even as crimson droplets fell from his knuckles. He stood up, placing his hands into his pockets and headed toward the door. He had no idea where he was going, but couldn't stand to be in that house any longer. It was too depressing even for him. He wanted warmth…Her warmth.

_**(Cause I want you,  
And I feel you,  
Crawling underneath my skin  
Like a hunger,  
Like a burning,  
To find a place I've never been  
Now I'm broken,  
And I'm faded,  
I'm half the man I thought I would be:  
But you can have what's left of me)**_

Stepping outside he was almost blinded by the sun. Shielding his face he began to walk down the village streets. How many years had it been since he last did something as simple as this? Too many to want to remember. Right away he felt the presence of an Anbu ops shadowing him. He just ignored it.

"Hey, I bought you some flowers Kanna." A young man produced the bouquet to the blushing female. Sasuke turned at the sight and headed onto a different path. He scoffed at the display. Apparently he didn't have romance in his blood.

Before he knew it he was standing in front of the Yamanaka Flower shop. He looked to the window and saw a flash of pink hair. He didn't know why but he waited for a while outside of that shop. Even as the sun faded into the dark that had become the night.

"Thanks a lot Ino, I'm headed home now."

"Yeah, well if you need to just talk again you know where to find me. I'll have the ice cream ready." Ino called through the door. He looked up from the wall he was perched against. Sakura turned toward the door and stepped out. What was he going to do now?

He hadn't even seen her since the hospital. She had looked at him with sad eyes and turned back to his release forms. After that the Anbu had taken him into their custody. Then from there he had met with Tsunade and learned his punishment. He was still amazed it hadn't been death. Then again she must have known he was already practically dead inside.

He watched Sakura as she walked past where he was in the shadows. That where he always seemed to be. Quietly, he strolled out behind her. She either did not notice him or chose to just ignore him. He followed her down the now darkened pathways of the Hidden Leaf village. Not toward her home but somewhere else familiar.

The Old dock came into view. The one that held many memories for him. It was the place he once trained to perfect his Fire style jutsu. How many times had he called his father out to watch only to give him a look of disappointment? For he was no Itachi in his father's eyes. Why had she come here? What place did this hold in her heart?

He heard the light sigh she let escape as she peered up at the moon. The pale light danced over her skin, giving her the appearance of a porcelain doll. The light reflecting from the water's surface played across her eyes making them appear to glow softly. That's when she turned her head back toward him.

"I was going to wait for you to say something, but I guess I should be used to the silence by now." So she had known he was following behind.

"You can stop watching us now. I can handle him from here." She called to their fox-faced spy. He was irked at how she had said 'handle him'. If that were the truth, then why had they issued the constant Anbu supervision and the temporary seals that bound his chakra use? People still brushed him off so easily, just as his father had.

He had always been alone…No, that wasn't the truth. Once he had been a part of something. Team 7 had managed to revive his heart, just a little. He closed his eyes against the memories that threatened to consume him. After all they kept haunting him. One good thing had come back into his life and he had to twist and snap it apart. He really had to be fucked up in the head. Falling apart, little by little, until there was nothing left. Had he ever reached for happiness? Or was he damned to the shadows from the very start?

_**(I've been dying inside,  
Little by little,  
No where to go,  
But going out of my mind  
In endless circles,  
Running from myself until,  
You gave me a reason for standing still)**_

Sakura turned back to watch the water. What was running thought that cunning brain of hers? Where was her annoying banter? Had she given up on him finally? Those thoughts drove another shard into his barely beating heart. All this time, she alone, had been the light to his darkness. All this time and he had chosen to ignore it. All his powers could not save him from himself. He supposed all the Uchiha's had to be damned.

"Naruto became the Hokage this afternoon." Sakura's voice brought him back to the presence once again.

"I'm glad at least someone achieved their goal, Kakashi had asked of us all those years ago." So she also was remembering the past. He hated to admit it but the news pleased him. Guess some bonds really couldn't be broken after all. Sakura glanced back to him again. He knew he should say something but didn't know what. Anti-social and socially awkward, that was him to the tee.

Everyone just brushed his demeanor off as being cold or even "cool". No one seemed to understand him. Hell, he didn't know why he was so broken. While everyone chatted away he sat silent. He did so only because he didn't know what to say to anyone. Then it all became a bother, so he ignored all the rambling. It was both a blessing and a curse because now he had no idea how to proceed. Being a cold hearted bastard had been so much easier.

How was he supposed to tell Sakura how much he burned for her? She would probably think of him as psychotic. He had tried to kill her in the past. Did that over shadow all the times he helped her on past missions? Sakura shifted her weight. She was unfamiliar with the silence that filled his existence.

"Why did you come here?" he finally asked. Sakura blinked in surprise. She had not expected him to contribute to the one-sided conversation. Her hands clasp together in front of her. How he wanted those palms on his body.

_**(Cause I want you,  
And I feel you,  
Crawling underneath my skin  
Like a hunger,  
Like a burning,  
To find a place I've never been  
Now I'm broken,  
And I'm faded,  
I'm half the man I thought I would be:  
But you can have what's left of me)**_

"I come here to think a lot it's mostly peaceful here."

Hn, that's what his exact thoughts when he chose to train out on the dock. He lifted his dark gaze to her bright one.

"Why did you save me Sakura?" He became the interrogator trying to find the answers to the questions currently burning through his tortured mind.

"How do you know it was me?" Because he would know her touch anywhere, but did not dare say that out loud.

"Besides Naruto, you are the only one stupid enough to do it." He saw the flash of hurt pass through her eyes and mentally cursed. Always he was causing her some sort of pain.

"None of the Konoha eleven wanted to see you dead Sasuke." Key word: Wanted. Now they all probably wished he were dead.

_**(It's falling faster,  
Barely breathing,  
Give me something,  
To believe in  
Tell me: It's not all in my head)**_

"I just always wondered what had happened…everything just went to hell." He was surprised at her language. His little flower had definitely bloomed over the long years, In more ways than one. He thought as he eyed her up. He should be disgusted with himself but found out that's he wasn't in the least.

"No matter how close we got to you, you always were out of reach." She spoke sadly.

"You didn't have to leave that night…" Her voice trailed off as she probably relived it. Hell, he thought about it all the time now. Time was all he had anymore. Back then he thought Orochimaru had been his only option left. Boy, had he been mistaken. As he thought about that time, the spot where the curse mark once was suddenly itched.

"I had too." He simply excused. The curse mark would have consumed him wholly and he would have had no control. That was the worst feeling in the world, or so he thought.

_**(Take what's left  
Of this man  
Make me whole  
Once again)**_

"No, Sasuke you didn't have to, you chose to leave." Sakura's hands curled into fists at her sides, her temper flaring.

"We could have helped you. Kakashi was trying to train you to fight it. Instead you just ran away. You almost destroyed Naruto," she looked away as she whispered the next part; "You almost destroyed me."

He already knew that. He had tried to make them forget about him. He was a lost cause. Fighting Naruto at the end should have proved that but it had back fired. It ended up somehow renewing their efforts to try and reach out to him.

"That night, why did you thank me Sasuke?" Sakura then asked him.

That one was easy, because she had loved him. Whatever he had been, she cared about. What was left of him now, he didn't even know. He had ruined everything, because now he realized he had absolutely nothing.

No family, no friends, no village. He was utterly alone, because he had run from himself trying to find the easy solution. To gain absolute power to destroy his ill brother he thought he had hated. Her gaze caught his as she waited for his answer.

"It doesn't matter anymore. The damage has already been done." His voice sounded flat and unconvincing to even him.

"It matters to me." He covered his eyes with his hand. The feeling in her statement made it clear that she still cared for him. He was afraid. Sasuke Uchiha, the rouge avenger, was afraid he had nothing left to give.

"Sasuke?" Her voice was closer now; his name from her lips was his undoing. With his actions now, Sakura would probably truly think him mad. He reached out and grabbed her shirt. Her magnificent jade eyes widened in surprise as he pulled her forward. His arms snaked around her body and he placed his forehead into her body. 

"Why?" His voice, muffled by the fabric of her clothing, sounded raw. After a moment, the shock wore off and her arms held him.

"I don't understand how you could still care about me. After everything I've done. After all the attempts to end you. There is nothing left inside!"

No, Sakura was inside. A small part of his heart had kept her locked away, even as his mind became corrupted.

_**(Cause I want you,  
And I feel you,  
Crawling underneath my skin  
Like a hunger,  
Like a burning,  
To find a place I've never been  
Now I'm broken,  
And I'm faded,  
I'm half the man I thought I would be:  
But you can have what's left of me)  
**_

"That's not true Sasuke. For how much you hated, there was passion behind it and if it was misdirected. Imagine if you took that and turned it into love. It won't be easy. Trust never is, you know that." Her tender voice filled with compassion, broke his barriers and unleashed the pain he had held in for so long. Warm salty tears fell from his worn out eyes.

Tears he had not cried since he had learned the truth about his brother. Now he was crying for himself, for everything he could have had, No for everything he could have. It just took all the wrong turns for him to see the light. Her light. The small pink-haired female he cherished with all his fragmented heart. He fell to his knees but Sakura had never once let him go.

"And because I love you."

Those had to be the best words he had ever heard spoken in his life. He looked at her through blurry eyes. He still could not say the words, she deserved to hear. It was as though love didn't exist in his vocabulary. It had grown distant and the meaning became smeared. So instead he pulled her closer, closing the distance between their lips. He warm kiss had to be the best sensation in the world. Nothing would ever taint this moment.

_**(I've been dying inside you see  
I'm going out of my mind  
Out of my mind  
I'm just running in circles all the time  
Will you take what's left  
Will you take what's left  
Will you take what's left of me?  
Just running in circles in my mind  
Will you take what's left  
Will you take what's left)**_

"Sakura…I…" He tried to vocalize it, struggling uncomfortably.

"It's alright Sasuke, you don't have to say anything." For once she was allowing his silence. She deserved so much better than someone who could not even express how he felt. But he wanted, needed, no craved to change. To become someone who was worth fighting so hard for. So for now he would give Sakura what was left of him.

_**Will you take what's left of me?**_

**~ End ~**

**A/N:** So there it is. Just a little something that's been nagging at me to write. I thought it was a perfect song for how I view his and Sakura's relationship. 'cause just face it, we all know he secretly wants her too . The song used is What's left of Me by Nick Lachey. I think it's a very pretty song. Anyway as porky would say, tataata that's all folks.


End file.
